1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to techniques for implementing electronic devices, and relates more particularly to a system and method for interactively utilizing a user interface to manage device resources.
2. Description of the Background Art
Implementing effective methods for managing device resources is a significant consideration for designers and manufacturers of contemporary electronic devices. However, effectively managing device resources may create substantial challenges for designers of electronic devices. For example, enhanced demands for increased device functionality and performance may require more system processing power, bus bandwidth, and require additional hardware resources. An increase in processing or hardware requirements may also result in a corresponding detrimental economic impact due to increased production costs and operational inefficiencies.
An electronic device in an electronic network may advantageously communicate with other electronic devices in the network to share resources to thereby substantially increase the capabilities and versatility of individual devices in the electronic network. For example, an electronic network may be implemented in a home environment to enable flexible and beneficial sharing of data and device resources between various consumer electronic devices, such as personal computers, digital video disc (DVD) devices, digital set-top boxes for digital broadcasting, enhanced television sets, and audio reproduction systems.
Network size is also a factor that affects the management of resources in an electronic network. Communications in an electronic network typically become more complex as the number of individual devices or nodes increases. A local software module on the local device may need to communicate with various remote software elements on remote devices across the electronic network. However, successfully managing resources of a substantial number of electronic devices across a network may provide significant benefits to a system user.
Furthermore, enhanced device capability to perform various advanced processes may provide additional benefits to a system user, but may also place increased demands on the control and management of an electronic device. For example, an enhanced electronic device that effectively accesses, processes, and displays digital television programming may benefit from efficient use of resources because of the large amount and complexity of the digital data involved.
In order to effectively manage device resources, a system user may benefit from the ability to observe and interactively control resource allocation in an electronic network. Due to growing demands on system resources and substantially increasing data magnitudes, it is apparent that developing new and effective methods for managing resources is a matter of importance for the related electronic technologies. Therefore, for all the foregoing reasons, implementing effective methods for managing resources remains a significant consideration for designers, manufacturers, and users of contemporary electronic devices.